The largest rainbow pride flag in the country (400 feet long) will be on display during the Philly Pride March and Festival June 2.
‘Pride 2024: Be You’ at the Philadelphia Pride March and Festival will will form and organize at Sixth and Walnut streets at 10:30 a.m. and end in the Philadelphia Gayborhood.
Floats and vehicles are not permitted. When the march reaches the Gayborhood, the festival will begin, running from noon to 7 p.m., on Walnut to Pine streets and Quince to Juniper streets, with other select roads closed around the festival footprint.
The festival will feature more than 200 businesses and organizations, performers, entertainers, artists, vendors, bars, food trucks, community organizations, stages and more. The march and festival are open to all to attend at no charge and are part of Philly Gay Pride Month.
“Pride is and has always been much more that just a party, it a place where we build community, where we bring about awareness of issues impacting our community, and provide crucial linkages to resources and care” said Tyrell Brown, Galaei executive director and program director of Philly Pride 365. “At its core, pride celebrates our community’s activist roots in challenging the status quo and celebrating ourselves authentically and freely. Through Philly Pride 365 and the Philadelphia Pride March and Festival, Galaei aims to encourage everyone in our community to stand up, and “BE YOU” celebrating Pride in 2024”
Last year’s events were recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for their approach to meeting community needs and delivering services and resources while delivering on the excitement that is a hallmark of Pride events. Philly Pride 365 is a program of Galaei, which serves queer, trans, Black, brown, indigenous and people of color.
“No one organization or individual can own ‘pride’, and Galaei celebrates you, celebrating yourself, community, and the love and light you bring to this world both on pride day and year round,” Brown said.
Pride around the city will start May 31 to preview, celebrate and bring together the community heading into June’s events.
On Friday, the Philadelphia Pride Rainbow Flag will tour the city — starting at 9 a.m. at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, at noon in Center City at the north side of City Hall and ending at 8 p.m. in the Gayborhood. The flag will go to at least eight locations.
Science After Hours is returning to the Franklin Institute to kick off Philadelphia Pride Weekend and Pride Month. The Summer Ball celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community and welcomes all to an evening of drag, dancing, and science.
Festivities include:
• Local drag queen Eric Jaffe curates a cast of drag performers for stunning numbers.
• Take to the main floor with Lili St. Queer for ballroom lessons and performances with choreographer Kemar Jewel and line dancing with Giddy Up Philly.
• Feel the positivity with routines and cheers with Philly Cheer Elite.
• Compete for fabulous prizes at Drag Bingo.
• Dance with sounds by Drootrax and DJ R3M SATIVA under the psychedelic skies in the Fels Planetarium, with visuals created by Liquid Light Lab.
Tickets include access to core exhibits and galleries and stargazing on the roof deck (weather permitting), as well as a limited-edition lapel pin.
Galaei’s Philly Pride 365’s official opening night event “Pride Promenade” will be at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. There will be performances, food, folks, and fun. Community members and allies are invited (adults 21+).
Galaei welcomes the global icon Sapphira Crisal to the Muses Stage at Philly Pride 2024 “Be You.” Sapphira will grace the stage at 6 p.m. on Sunday June 2.
Saphirra is an American drag performer who won Philadelphia, the nation, and world over on season 16 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Saphirra is a classically trained opera singer and a composer, drag performer and global icon. Saphirra’s awards include recognition from the city of Philadelphia, a Stonewall Legacy Award winner, Miss Congeniality on “RuPauls Drag Race.” She won second place on the show but was first in the hearts of people in Philadelphia and around the world.
The march June 2 will kick off with speeches from community leaders and guests and a land acknowledgment from the Lenape Tribe. Then it will proceed to the festival.
Philly Pride 365 invites the community to Woodys, Voyeur and Cauldron for after-parties and special events.
“We’ve coordinated this event with much care around the many intentions and meanings that PRIDE Month, activism, awareness, resources, services, and celebration” Brown said. “Pride is many things; we wish to lift up and celebrate it as both a gathering of extended LGBTQ+ friends and family in the community as well as grounding the event as a resource fair that uplifts and directly supports the most marginalized members of the QTBIPOC community.”
